Mahalaya Amavasya rituals banned

16/09/2020

 Staff ReporterCoimbatore

As part of COVID-19 precautionary measures, the district administration has banned congregation of devotees at temples or water bodies close to temples to conduct Mahalaya Amavasya rituals on September 17.

District Collector K. Rajamani said in a release that owners of private halls near temples must get permission from the authorities before renting the premises for these occasions.

HR&CE Department officials said that the crowds are expected at Perur Patteeswarar Temple, Karamadai Aranganatha Swamy Temple and Thekkampatti Vanabadrakaliamman Temple in Coimbatore district. While the rituals are not allowed, the temples will be open for devotees with the usual COVID-19 precautionary measures.

Erode Staff Reporter adds

The Erode district administration has also banned congregation of devotees at temples and river beds on September 17. Collector C. Kathiravan, however, said that devotees can offer prayers at temples.

New Anna varsity for affiliating engg. colleges

 New Anna varsity for affiliating engg. colleges

Bill passed in Tamil Nadu Assembly

17/09/2020

 R. SujathaCHENNAI

A new Anna University will be established, and all engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu will be affiliated to the Chennai-headquartered institution, according to a Bill passed in the State Assembly on Wednesday.

The existing Anna University at Guindy in the city will become a unitary institution under the name of Anna Technological and Research University (ATRU), with a focus on research and higher learning.

The reputed College of Engineering, Guindy, the Madras Institute of Technology, A.C. College of Technology and the School of Planning and Architecture will come under ATRU.

Tabling the Bills, Higher Education Minister K.P. Anbalagan said the decision was being taken “only for administrative reasons”.

He later told The Hindu that the decision had nothing to do with the Centre’s offer to upgrade Anna University into an ‘Institution of Eminence’ with a matching grant of ₹500 crore to focus on cutting-edge research.

“Managing the affairs of the engineering colleges across the State that are affiliated to Anna University is consuming much of the time and energy of eminent professors of the university. In order to concentrate on higher studies and research in engineering and technology, the government has decided to reconstitute the existing university as a unitary-type institution by the name of Anna Technological and Research University,” he said.

The new Anna University and ATRU will have separate administrative structures and governing bodies, like the syndicate and the academic council.

Assistant professors write to CM

Assistant professors write to CM

17/09/2020

Special Correspondent CHENNAI

After being posted for 84 hours of duty in a week, assistant professors of the Department of General Medicine, Government Tiruvannamalai Medical College Hospital, have flagged their concerns to the Chief Minister and officials of the Health Department.

In a representation to the Chief Minister’s Special Cell, the Health Secretary and the Directorate of Medical Education, the assistant professors said they were facing mental agony due to repeated exposure to COVID-19, with work burden not being shared by other departments, particularly the Anaesthesia Department. The issue remained unresolved despite repeated representations to the dean, they said.

Anaesthetists were posted only on on-call duty for managing sick COVID-19 patients in the ICU. “As per ICMR guidelines, anaesthetists, respiratory physicians and doctors of general medicine are the primary care providers in COVID-19 management. But at the Tiruvannamalai Medical College Hospital, anaesthetists are not posted on regular duty at COVID-19 isolation wards or ICU care,” a doctor, on condition of anonymity, said.

They sought the Chief Minister’s immediate intervention.

Ayurveda doyen dies of COVID-19

 Ayurveda doyen dies of COVID-19

17/09/2020

 P.R. Krishnakumar, Chancellor of the Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women and the managing director of Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (Coimbatore) Limited, died of COVID-19 in Coimbatore late on Wednesday. He was 69. A recipient of Padma Shri, who played a major role in the preparation of the Ayush protocol, Mr. Krishnakumar was undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at a private hospital in Coimbatore for over a week. His death took place around 8.30 p.m. on Wednesday

Consider raising age limit for retirement’

Consider raising age limit for retirement’

17/09/2020

Staff Reporter Madurai

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) to consider increasing the upper age limit for contract or temporary employees from 58 to 59 years, for engaging them on the basis of requirement.

Justice R. Suresh Kumar observed that if Tasmac does take such a decision, it would not mean that all contractual or temporary employees would be entitled to seek job extension up to 59 years of age.

The court said that Tasmac could consider each individual or deserving employee and on a need basis extend the contracts of those who have completed 58 years.

The court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by Tasmac employees, who cited a G.O. which said the age of superannuation of government servants who were in regular service as on May 31, 2020, would be increased from 58 years to 59 years.

The Tasmac clarified that the G.O. was applicable to those employees who were in regular service and not on contractual basis.

Online exams, a mockery’

Online exams, a mockery’

17/09/2020

Staff Reporter MADURAI

The manner by which Madurai Kamaraj University proposes to conduct final year examinations online was just a mockery and could not be taken as the right yardstick to know a student’s potential, said Save Madurai Kamaraj University Coalition.

In a press release, its secretary R. Murali said the university would be sending question papers thorugh email or WhatsApp to Principals of affiliated colleges. They will in turn send the questions to students who will write a three-hour unsupervised exam. “The exam is conducted just for namesake. There is no real need to hold it right away. Even if they do want to conduct it, it could be held in a manner which ensures social distancing, as not more than 300 students will be writing the exams,” he said. If the exams need to be conducted online, the colleges must have a system in place to facilitate a transparent exchange between the university and students, Mr. Murali said.

Colleges not paying salaries despite reserves, says dy CM

Colleges not paying salaries despite reserves, says dy CM

Student Funds Can’t Be Used For Salaries, Say Principals

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:17.09.2020

A day after teachers of a few Delhi University colleges moved Delhi High Court over non-payment of salaries, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia alleged on Wednesday that the colleges were not paying the teachers despite having funds in the reserve.

Citing initial investigation results of an independent audit conducted by Delhi government, the education minister threatened action and said the university administration was acting as a pawn of BJP.

The colleges, however, said it was wrong to term the student society fund as a reserve fund and it shouldn’t be used to pay teachers. The 12 colleges funded by Delhi government have salary dues.

Sisodia claimed, “It was observed in these reports that colleges have kept a huge amount of money as fixed deposits rather than paying the salaries. Keshav Mahavidyalaya has Rs 10.52 crore as fixed deposits. If they have so much money, why are they not paying salaries to their teachers?”He also said Bhagini Nivedita College had around Rs 2.5 crore in fixed deposits. “It is surprising that they are claiming lack of funds, and at the same time, not cooperating with the auditors also.”

The principals of both these colleges will address a press conference on Thursday.

Sisodia said Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies didn’t even provide their audited balance sheets. “However, it was found that they have around Rs 3.5 crore in their balance sheet in 2018-19 and Rs 10.45 crore in fixed deposits.” Even Deen Dayal Upadhyay College has a reserve of about Rs 6.5 crore and one college even donated Rs 25 lakh, he added.

Sukhdev College principal Poonam Verma said, “These are student funds and the money comes to the college under various heads for various activities. It will be a gross financial irregularity to use them for salary. This money has been collected over 33 years.”

Verma claimed she had records of providing all documents to the auditors and for 2018-19, the college had completed the ELFA and CAG audits. “They are targeting these colleges because the chairperson of the governing body is not their nominee,” she alleged.

DDU principal Hem Chand Jain said, “If anyone has paid that money as loan, they can hang the whole college administration. The reserve is collected from students for ICT infrastructure improvement and student activities. It is not possible to use funds for students to pay salaries. If the government finds it correct, they should tell us that.”

Sisodia also raised the issue of how the funds given to these 12 colleges had almost tripled since 2014-15. “These people are playing with lives of their own staff members. AAP government stands together with the faculty and students of DU. But it seems the DU administration is singing the tunes of BJP and behaving like BJP’s party office. They are only focused on blaming Delhi government,” he said. “Under the pattern of assistance, it is mentioned that provisioning of grant will be made only on net deficit basis.”

Different teachers’ groups condemned the government’s allegations. Delhi University Teachers’ Association said, “It is unfortunate that teachers are caught in the crossfire of these allegations. DUTA believes that the employees must be paid their dues immediately.”

A K Bhagi of NDTF said, “It’s the duty of the government to pay salaries and other allowances and give grants for new infrastructure and maintenance.” INTEC called these allegations a diversion tactics of Delhi government.

It was observed that colleges have kept a huge amount of money as fixed deposits rather than paying the salaries of their staff… It is surprising that they are claiming lack of funds and, at the same time, not cooperating with the auditors

—MANISH SISODIA